Basilio—­Ah!  Ah!

Bartolo [aloud]—­Indeed, Basilio, your pupil has a great deal of talent.

Basilio [stupefied]—­My pupil! [In a low tone.] I came to tell you that the Count has moved.

Bartolo [low]—­I know it.  Hush.

Basilio [low]—­Who told you?

Bartolo [low]—­He did, of course.

Count [low]—­It was I, naturally.  Just listen, won’t you?

Rosina [low to Basilio]—­Is it so hard to keep still?

Figaro [low to Basilio]—­Hum!  The sharper!  He is deaf!

Basilio [aside]—­Who the devil are they trying to deceive here?  Everybody seems to be in it!

Bartolo [aloud]—­Well, Basilio—­about your lawyer—?

Figaro—­You have the whole evening to talk about the lawyer.

Bartolo [to Basilio]—­One word; only tell me if you are satisfied with the lawyer.

Basilio [startled]—­With the lawyer?

Count [smiling]—­Haven’t you seen the lawyer?

Basilio [impatient]—­Eh?  No, I haven’t seen the lawyer.

Count [aside to Bartolo]—­Do you want him to explain matters before her?  Send him away.

Bartolo [low to the Count]—­You are right. [To Basilio.] But what made you ill, all of a sudden?

Basilio [angrily]—­I don’t understand you.

Count [secretly slipping a purse into his hands]—­Yes:  he wants to know what you are doing here, when you are so far from well?

Figaro—­He’s as pale as a ghost!

Basilio—­Ah!  I understand.

Count—­Go to bed, dear Basilio.  You are not at all well, and you make us all anxious.  Go to bed.

Figaro—­He looks quite upset.  Go to bed.

Bartolo—­I’m sure he seems feverish.  Go to bed.

Rosina—­Why did you come out?  They say that it’s catching.  Go to bed.

Basilio [in the greatest amazement]—­I’m to go to bed!

All the others together—­Yes, you must.

Basilio [looking at them all]—­Indeed, I think I will have to withdraw.  I don’t feel quite as well as usual.

Bartolo—­We’ll look for you to-morrow, if you are better.

Count—­I’ll see you soon, Basilio.

Basilio [aside]—­Devil take it if I understand all this!  And if it weren’t for this purse—­

All—­Good-night, Basilio, good-night.

Basilio [going]—­Very well, then; good-night, good-night.

[The others, all laughing, push him civilly out of the room.]

FROM ‘THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO’

OUTWITTING A HUSBAND

[The scene is the boudoir of young Countess Almaviva, the Rosina of the previous selection.  She is seated alone, when her clever maid Susanna ushers in the young page Cherubino, just banished from the house because obnoxious to the jealous Count.]